Viable explosive device in package delivered to hotel

A suspect package delivered to a hotel in Londonderry contained a “viable” explosive device, police have said.

Army bomb experts were sent to the hotel at Ebrington Square in the Waterside after the package was discovered at about 15:20 GMT on Tuesday.

They carried out a controlled explosion on the device, which was later taken away for a forensic examination.

Police Service of Northern Ireland Det Supt Kearney condemned it as a “reckless and targeted attack”.

The detective said that a number of people were evacuated from The Ebrington hotel, along with staff from neighbouring premises.

The chair of a local policing watchdog said he believed it may be linked to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) having a stall at a careers fare at the same hotel last month.

A Halloween funfair had been taking place a short distance away from the hotel.

It remained open during the security alert.

Read more: BBC News